White Christmas
by Hell's Sweet Whispers
Summary: The only thing more magical than Christmas is a white Christmas    Written as the fifth of five one-shots I did of various fandoms/pairings for my friend as a Christmas gift.


**White Christmas**

"Merlin, what are you doing?" Arthur asks, arms crossed sternly over his chest. His manservant is slowly wriggling through a tiny gape he made in the weighty front doors, a heavy fur cloak draped around his thin shoulders. "Is that my cloak?"

"You haven't worn this one since you were a prince!" Merlin huffs.

"_Mer_lin," Arthur sighs. The younger man stops his escape to give his king his attention and an annoyed look. "Where are you going?"

"It snowed last night," Merlin says an excited twinkle in his eyes. Arthur can feel his stomach constrict with longing. It's been awhile since he's seen that twinkle in the darker haired man's eyes.

"Yes," Arthur drawls in agreement.

"You said I had the day off," he continues.

"Is there a point to your rambles?" Arthur questions. He shifts his arms from his chest, resting one hand on the hilt of his sword and the other on his hip. Merlin shoots him a glare for the interruption.

"I thought I'd play out in the snow," he finishes quickly, a blush rising on to his cheeks despite the irritated look. Arthur's eyebrows quirk and a smirk pulls at his lips.

"Let me get this straight, you're going out to play in the snow like a child?" Arthur chuckles. Merlin nods sheepishly.

"You got a problem with that?" Merlin says a moment later, his chin raised as if daring the blonde king to challenge him.

"Nope! Let me go get my coat," he says before turning around to trot back to his chambers.

~o0o~

By the time Arthur gets outside, Merlin's got two large balls of snow stacked on top of each other and is rolling another, slightly smaller ball. He watches him diligently work, his movements gracefully and fluid where they were once clumsy. It makes him yearn for the days when Merlin was carefree and innocent. Arthur slowly bends down, careful not to gain his servant's attention. He scoops snow into the palm of his hand. He pats down until it's in a tight ball. He waits for Merlin to start hefting the ball of snow on top of the other two, before standing, taking aim and lobbing the snow ball. It hits the oblivious man square in the back.

Merlin spins around a scowl on his face. The king just beams. "Fine, two can play at this game!" Merlin says, a mischievous grin slowly appearing on his lips. His eyes flash golden.

"That's not fair, Merlin!" Arthur shouts as the first snow ball whizzes through the air and smacks him right between the eyes. Merlin bursts out laughing at the shocked expression on the older man's face.

"All's fair in love and war!" he cackles.

"Oh, is that how it goes?" Arthur asks, quirking an eyebrow. And then they're in a full-fledged snow ball war with Merlin controlling the snow without a side ward glance and Arthur diving out of the way. It goes on like this 'til Arthur manages to be less than a foot away from the sorcerer. He charges at the dark haired man, who yelps as he tries to get out of the way but Arthur wraps an arm around his waist.

They fall to the ground, snow crunching beneath them. Merlin is on his back; Arthur sprawled on top of him. "Arthur," he whines as snow slips into the collar of his shirt and he tries to squirm out from under him.

"Ah, ah, ah, you said 'All is fair in love and war,'" Arthur repeats. "And this is a matter of both love and war!"

"Arthur, don't," Merlin warns. "You've already made your choice."

"And I'll admit it was the right choice," the hope Merlin didn't even realize he had evaporated with those words "But it's not the right choice now. It might have been my destiny to marry Gwen but it was always my fate to be with you." He leans down to place an endearingly chaste kiss on Merlin's soft lips.

"I love you, Merlin," he breathes against his lips. "I've always loved you." He kisses Merlin again, this time letting his tongue run along the sorcerer's bottom lip. He pulls back when he realizes Merlin isn't kissing back. "Gwen loves Lancelot. We've already sorted it out, so will you _please _stop worrying and _kiss me_?" he asks his tone almost desperate at the end.

Merlin stares at him with his wide, dark, seemingly innocent blue eyes and Arthur begins to worry that he'll really be rejected. Then Merlin smiles with a child-like giddiness that Arthur hasn't seen since he married Gwen. "Happy Christmas, Arthur," he sighs before pushing up to meet Arthur's lips.

_The only thing more magical_

_Then Christmas is a _

_White Christmas_


End file.
